home sweet home
The comforting smell of a hot dinner builds as you walk down the neat pathway to Donna and Warren Cox ’ s unit at Morphettville , in Adelaide ’ s south .
The couple have lived together since 2013 and share their home - part of Minda ’ s community housing options - with 12-year-old cat , Melissa .
“ We met at the bus stop , at Marion Shopping Centre ,” Donna says with a smile . “ I thought he looked like a nice person .”
Married in 2011 , the couple take enormous pride in their home , which is filled with photos and treasures .
“ There is plenty of room . And the staff are great . They help us a lot ,” says Warren , who works in Minda ’ s Somerton Park Packaging Solutions and needs daily medication to manage his epilepsy .
Donna says of her home : “ It ’ s closer to my mum and my sister . Mum is only about four streets away .”
Regular support worker , Ann buzzes between Donna and Warren ’ s unit , and that of their neighbours Elva and Michael , to ensure they have any assistance they need .
“ I am incredibly lucky ,” Ann says . “ I have the best job at Minda . We ’ re like one big family . If I ’ m cooking a roast on the weekend , I pop another one in the oven to bring here . Everyone loves a home-cooked roast .”
Step through the back door and you ’ ll discover an enchanted garden full of ornaments , lights and pot plants .
“ We love animals ,” says Donna , who works with the cleaning crew at Minda ’ s Brighton site . “ We have budgies , canaries and finches . The animals are great – they keep you company .”
Donna and Warren ’ s home , which is one of 70 owned by Minda throughout metropolitan Adelaide - is reflective of Minda ’ s move to a more contemporary and progressive approach to housing for people with disability .
“ Stage Two of our Master Plan forms an important part of Minda ’ s 118-year history , because it offers an opportunity to progressively replace outdated living arrangements for more than 170 residents with new accommodation that combines the comfort of home with a contemporary model of service delivery and state-of-theart technologies ,” says Minda chief executive officer Cathy Miller .
“ It is vital that people with disabilities are placed at the centre of key decisions which impact their lives and this purpose-built accommodation aligns with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities .
“ The Master Plan facilitates Minda to create a high quality , integrated ,
Donna and Warren Cox love their unit at Minda ’ s Morphettville complex .
affordable , innovative , liveable and sustainable urban community that delivers on diversity of lifestyle choice that will support people at Minda to live enriched lives of their choosing .”
Assistive technology plays an important role in Minda housing options , giving clients more privacy and independence .
“ Assistive technology has enhanced the quality of support and equipped us with the means to improve support plans and also better understand the needs and behaviour of the people we support ,” Cathy says .
“ For Minda it is all about giving choice to people with disability and ensuring they can live in the setting and community of their choosing , with access to the support they need .” linkonline . com . au accommodation , home modifications & improvements
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